1. United States
2. Mo.
3. Letter

I am writing to express my deep concern over the continued consolidation of executive power under the Trump administration and the influence of Russell Vought, Director of the Office of Management and Budget. The recent Supreme Court decision allowing the President to remove the heads of most independent federal agencies without cause represents a profound shift in the balance of power that has existed for nearly a century. Independent agencies were created by Congress to ensure that critical government functions are carried out based on the law, expertise, and the public interest rather than political loyalty. Weakening those protections threatens the independence of agencies responsible for protecting consumers, workers, investors, and the integrity of our government. Russell Vought has repeatedly advocated for dramatically expanding presidential authority over the federal workforce and dismantling longstanding civil service protections. Many Americans view these efforts as part of a broader campaign to replace experienced, nonpartisan public servants with individuals whose primary qualification is political loyalty. That is not how a constitutional democracy should function. As your constituent, I expect you to defend Congress’s constitutional role as a coequal branch of government. Remaining silent while executive power continues to expand undermines the checks and balances that protect every American, regardless of political party. Federal employees swear an oath to the Constitution, not to any president. They deserve to perform their duties without fear that independent oversight, merit based protections, and the rule of law will be sacrificed for political objectives. I urge you to publicly condemn efforts to erode the independence of federal agencies and the merit based civil service. I also ask that you support legislation restoring meaningful protections for independent agencies and career federal employees while exercising vigorous congressional oversight of this administration’s actions. History will judge whether Congress defended our constitutional system when it was tested. I hope you will choose to stand for the rule of law, the separation of powers, and the independence of the institutions that safeguard our democracy. I respectfully request a response explaining what specific actions you intend to take to protect these principles.